Mahabeej to supply pheromone traps

ST Correspondent

Monday, 3 September 2018

The traps are inexpensive, but farmers who are already seeing large-scale losses due to the infestation were demanding relief efforts from the State.

PUNE: While trying to provide relief to the cotton crop in the State which is seeing unprecedented pink bollworm infestation, Mahabeej, also known as the Maharashtra Seeds Corporation, will provide 66,000 pheromone traps to farmers. The traps will be given for free.

Omprakash Deshmukh, Executive Director of Mahabeej and MP Sanjay Dhotre, who is also the Vice-President of the Maharashtra Krushi Shikshan Va Sanshodhan Parishad, made the announcement recently.

Pheromone traps are traps with pheromone liquid applied to them. These pheromones lure the bollworm and capture it in a net and save the cotton boll from being destroyed by the worm. The traps are inexpensive, but farmers who are already seeing large-scale losses due to the infestation were demanding relief efforts from the State.